Our Lady Queen of All Saints Church, School and Rectory - Fort Greene

Our Lady Queen of All Saints Church, School and Rectory

Architectural Details

Built of limestone and glass, the cathedralesque Roman Catholic building on the northwest corner of Vanderbilt and Lafayette was constructed 1910-1915.[1] The complex was commissioned by Cardinal George Mundelein and designed by architect Gustave Steinback of Reiley and Steinback.[2] Steinback was one of the top Catholic Church architects of his time. His portfolio included churches like the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Manhattan, St. Benedict's School in the Bronx, St. Joseph College in Brooklyn and St. Michaels Church and Monastery in Brooklyn.[1][3] The windows were produced by Locke Decorative Company which was owned by prominent stained-glass artisan Alex S. Locke.[1] According to the AIA Guide to NY this Gothic style structure is “reminiscent of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris”. 

Our Lady Queen of All Saints Church, School and Rectory - Panorama of East Facade

The complex is comprised of a school, church and rectory. The school is at the front of the structure and can be distinguished from the church by its rectangular windows with clear glass. The church’s apse is the central portion of the complex and has pointed-arched windows with stained glass. The entrance to the church is at the front of the complex and tunnels through the school. The rectory at the rear has rectangular windows with clear glass and is the only building in the complex with a mansard roof.

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References:

1. Morrone, Francis An Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn. Gibbs Smith, Publisher, 2001.
2. White, Norval, Willensky, Elliot, and Leadon, Fran AIA Guide to New York. Oxford University Press, 2010.
3. "Gustav E. Steinback" LandmarkHunter.com